Robert Redford On Sarah Palin: ‘Part Of Her Strength Is How Limited She Is’

[cali]

by Jon Bershad | 6:10 pm, April 13th, 2011

In an interview to promote his new film The Conspirator, Robert Redford had some interesting thoughts on Sarah Palin as well as her followers. Ouch. It’s one thing to get picked on by the Bill Maher’s and David Letterman’s of the world. I mean, that’s gotta stink but a public figure can get over it. However, to get dissed by the freakin’ Sundance Kid. Now that’s got to hurt.

The interview was for Aol’s PopEater and the comments in question came as the discussion turned to Redford’s great film Quiz Show (if you haven’t seen that one, you’re missing out) about the quiz show scandals of the 1950s. Here’s what he had to say and how it got back to Mama Grizzlie:

<snip>

POPEATER: Well I find it sad that Sarah Palin insinuates that higher education is elitist. I can’t work that one out.

REDFORD: Well, I can because the country is made up of three categories. Traditionalists, cultural creative people and the moderns. The moderns are the hi-tech Silicon Valley people. The traditionalists on the lower end of it are the people who don’t want change, they’re afraid of change therefore they have anger. The fear card is a very big powerful card and when you have people afraid of change; they’ll do anything to prevent it. They’re doing it because they’re limited, frightened of people who are not as limited. I think Sarah Palin, part of her strength is how limited she is.”

<snip>

http://www.mediaite.com/online/robert-redford-on-sarah-palin-part-of-her-strength-is-how-limited-she-is/

[virgogal]

1. Robert Redford as guru?

[Bucky]

7. He's quite on point here. He's not out to scorn her, but to understand why she's successful at PR

This is how the pros work; if someone resonates with the public, it's more important to learn from them than to just sneer at them. He's figured out that comedians constantly harping on her is actually a strength for her... a trick Dan Quayle never quite figured out.


(speaking of Redford look alikes) :hide:

[Johonny]

10. IDK

If "the traditionalists on the lower end of it are the people who don’t want change, they’re afraid of change therefore they have anger." why have these traditionalist voted so often for people that bring about huge changes. Look at the teabagger Palin supported change that just came into office. These people are the most radical of the radical Republicans. They want to destroy institutions that have been in place now ~70-200 years. They want to get rid of medicare. They want to privatize social security. Even more crazy things like they want to kill the FED! They want to print their own money!! The want to nullify federal law by state legislature!!! The list goes on. I get they have anger part, but for people that he claims don't want change, they seem to be asking for a hell of a lot of change.

[Bucky]

11. You make it sound like her messaging is entirely out of step with her governing policies

And you're right. The people Redford is talking about aren't looking for substantive policy results. They want emotional comfort food from their pols. They want someone who's just like them, only moreso, to reassure them that things can go back to that golden time before the hippies ruined everything. Reagan gave 'em that. Palin, in her own special way, taps into that frustration too.

[Drale]

2. I always like Robert Redford

and now I like him even more

[Happyhippychick]

3. Talented, gorgeous and a great judge of character. *swoon*

[still_one]

4. Very insightful /nt

[hamsterjill]

5. I think he makes a great point.

I'll bet that Palin isn't one of Redford's favorites (smirk!) - based solely on his respect for nature, and her absolute disregard for it.

[Scuba]

6. Redford's perhaps the only "celebrity" to whom I give any credence. n/t

[Iggo]

8. What a civil way to call her and everyone like her idiots. (n/t)

[eleny]

9. He's been spot on in his observations over the years

I remember an interview with him regarding the W administration. He talked about not showing anger, disappointment and fear too much when we lost on an issue because showing those emotions made the other side feel good. It's what they wanted to see. Better for us to turn our disappointments into action to move forward.

And here he has incite again. Fear and then anger by the regressive people in our country runs very strong in their veins. It's the juice that makes them dangerous.